Verifying machine for combinational holes record cards



A ril 19, 1938.

M. MAUL VERIFYING MACHINE FOR COMBINATIONAL HOLES RECORD CARDS Original Filed Sept. 15, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l v Jnuem'or: 4M //m/ M. MAUL April 19, 1938.

VERIFYING MACHINE FOR COMBINATIONAL HOLES RECORD CARDS Original Filed Sept. 15, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet? MRnmm mm %u Jul/e2 1 M. MAUL April 19, 1938.

VERIFYING MACHINE FOR COMBINATIONAL HOLES RECORD CARDS Original Filed Sept. 15, '1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 19, 1938. M. MAUL 2,114,667

VERIFYING MACHINE FOR COMBINATIONAL HOLES RECORD CARDS Original Filed Sept. 15, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 www Jm/en for Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VERIFYING MACHINE FOR COMBINA- TIONAL HOLES RECORD CARDS Michael Maul, Berlin assignor to the Maschincn G. in. b.

-Johannisthal, Germany, firm Deutsche-Hollerith, 11., Berlin, Germany April 15, 1935, Serial No. 16,440.

September 28, 1929 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to verifying machines for perforated record cards and it is the main aim of the invention to provide a machine of the type indicated adapted for the verification of comblnational holes record cards. This application is a division from my co-pending application Ser. No. 482,008, filed Sept. 15, 1930. The parent case refers in the claim to a novel electrical verifying principle whereas the present in division relates particularly to the combinationai holes feature.

One important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated which is adapted to detect all errors with a simple elec- 15 trical mechanism, though broadly the invention refers to the verification of hole combinations.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a machine of the type indicated wherein an electrical shift mechanism. is provided which is under the control of the verifier keys and the hole combinations to be verified.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated. which permits column by column verification and wherein said shift mechanism controls the column by column movement of the card.

A further object of the invention is to neutralize controlling impulses of identical hole coordination, said impulses being effected by hole combinations and key actuated combinational means and being adapted to control the opera- .tion of the machine depending upon said neutralizing action.

A further object of the invention is to pro-- vlde in a machine of the type indicated electrical current impulses acting upon the error indicating means and key controlled means causing neutralizing actions in different combinations for neutralizing the action of said current ll) impulses upon the error indicating means.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be seen from the specification and drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The principle of verifying hole combinational record cards is shown in a preferred embodiment in connection with a machine adaptedfor the verification of cards having a plurality of superpositioned record decks wherein any one of 50 said decks may be verified by a common set of verifier keys. This feature is, however, claimed in my copending divisional application Ser. No. 738,163, filed August 2, 1934, anddoes not form the subject matter of the present application.

65 I will now describe the machine according to In Germany the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the verifying machine.

Fig. 2 shows the verifying machine partly in section and partly in front view, the section being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the machine according to line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail View and shows the key control for the carriage.

Fig. 5 is also a detail view and shows the "noperforation verification key.

Fig. 6 shows in an enlarged scale a view of the switch for the selective verification of any one of the two record decks of the card.

Fig. 7 is a section through the switch shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. El shows in an enlarged scale a section through the set of controlling magnets.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing in an enlarged scale the section through the key levers.

Fig. 10 shows in an enlarged scale the card contact.

4 Fig. ll shows the circuit diagram of the machine.

The machine illustrated comprises a frame upon which the card is moved step by step underneath a row of analyzing fingers. The frame is mounted upon a casing in which the key mechanism is provided, under the control of which the perforations in each column are to be verified. Upon detection of any incorrectness, this fact is brought to the attention of the operator by preventing the carriage feed.

Carriage feed mechanism The perforated record card l2 (Figs. 1 and 2) is moved upon the bed l3 of the frame it of the machine, step by step. by means of the carriage (still to be described) from the extreme right hand position to the extreme left hand position. The generally known carriage comprises the end pieces l5 and 16 between which the card is inserted and a ratchet bar I! for the step by step shifting of the carriage. The end pieces l5 and I6 as well as the shift bar I! are fastened to guide pieces l8 and I9 running in grooves 20 of the frame H. The ratchet bar I1 is controlled by an escapement 2| which is under the electromagnetic control of the keys. The escapement 2| is mounted between two lips 22 and 23 (see Figs. 2 and 3) and is drawn upwardly by means of two springs 24 and 25 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bar ll in such a way that normally the left tooth of the escapement 2| is in engagement with the ratchet bar I! and that the spring 24 is strong enough to overbalance the tension of spring 25 and also the action of a spring actuated cord 26 tending to move the carriage to the left. The escapement is guided in a slot by means of a pin 21 provided on the lip 22 and is drawn against the stop 23. To move the carriage one step to feed the next record column of the card underneath the analyzing means the magnet 23 must be energized. This magnet rocks the escapement 2| in counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) about its pivot 21, thereby engaging the right hand tooth of the escapement 2| with the ratchet bar II, but without permitting the latter to shift for the next step. As soon as, however, the magnet 29 is deenerglzed, spring 24 will return the escapement 2| to its home position and the left hand tooth of the escapement then comes slightly behind the point of a tooth of the ratchet bar, so that the spiral spring arranged within the casing 33 moves the ratchet bar I! by means of the cord 26 to the left until the next face of a tooth of the bar I! is stopped by the left tooth of .escapement 2| in which case the carriage has just been moved for one card column.

If it is desirable to return the carriage to its extreme left hand position, not by a step by step movement, but by entirely releasing the same to enable it to return to its extreme left hand position, then the magnet 3| (Figs. 2 and 3) provided on the projection 23 must be energized; this magnet will attract the armature 32 fastened on the escapement against the action of springs 24 and 25, thereby drawing the escapement 2| downwardly and entirely disengaging the same from the ratchet bar l1, using the pins 21 and 28 as guides for the escapement. Then the carriage will be moved under the influence of the spring provided within the casing 30 to its extreme left position.

If the carriage is in the extreme right hand position, the first record column of an inserted record card l2 (Fig. l) is just below the analyzing fingers 33 underneath which the card is moved to the left step by step. If, however, the last (extreme right hand) column of the card is below the analyzing points of the fingers 33, the carriage is not yet in its extreme left position but is permitted to move one step further; this provision has been made to indicate any incorrectness in the last record column by looking of the card feed in the same way as upon any incorrectness in any of the remaining record columns.

The record card l2 of which, in Fig. 1, a part is broken away while it is shown completely in Fig. 2, comprises an upper and a lower deck of combinational holes; in the upper deck are letters and in the lower deck are numerals symbolically represented by combinational holes. In the example illustrated, a known hole combination code is used. However, any othercode could be provided for the various letters as well as for the numerals and the chosen code is quite immaterial for the scope of the present invention. It is only necessary, however, to make provisions in the machine in accordance with the predetermined selected code.

In the present machine the verifying mechanism is connected with the current source by the insertion of a. card in the machine. Thereby the so called card contact (Figs. 1 and 10) is closed. This contact comprises a fiat spring 34 normally extending slightly beyond the bed l3 of the frame l4, and cooperating with a contact piece 33 to close the current circuit. The contact spring 34 is bent on the sides to avoid any interference with the card during movement of the same. If a card is in the machine in any position, it will press the contact spring 34 downwardly thereby closing a circuit over 34, 33.

Analyzing mechanism The analyzing mechanism comprises two sets of contact fingers 33 (Figs. L-3), each set consisting of six fingers and all fingers serving for the analysis of the upper and lower hole combination decks. The analyzers 33 as well as various other means still to be described are designated by roman numbers in accordance with their hole coordination. The upper six fingers 33 (Fig. 1) analyze successively the columns of the upper hole combination deck, each column consisting of six hole positions. Since the lower deck requires for the representation of the numerals only four hole positions, there are only four analyzers of the lower six analyzers 33 nee essary. There are, however, two analyzers more provided so that the lower group comprises also six analyzers to permit, if necessary, verification of cards having, as well in the upper as in the lower hole combination deck, letter characters. of course, the number of the analyzing fingers required depends entirely upon the number of hole positions which are necessary for the representation of the various combinations, so that a verifying machine which shall verify only numerals and no letters would require only four analyzing fingers. The fingers 33 are fastened upon an insulating piece 36 transversely mounted upon the frame H, and the front ends of said fingers are bent and provided with contact buttons 31. In each hole position wherein a perforation is provided, the coordinated contact buttons 31 will pass through the holes and establish a conducting connection with the contact bar 38 as shown for instance in Fig. 3 by various contact fingers. The analyzing mechanism is covered by a protection cover 33 having on opposite sides recesses 40 and 4| (Fig. 2) to permit movement of the end pieces I5 and I6 of the carriage in close proximity to the contact bar 38. For the same purpose the insulating bar 33 is provided in its middle portion with a recess 42 to permit movement of the angle l6 underneath said bar.

As will still be described the upper or lower set of six analyzing fingers may be selectively connected by means of a switch with a common set of six controlling magnets. Each analyzing finger of the selected set is then included in the circuit of the one winding of a magnet coordinated to the respective contact finger. While the second winding of each of said magnets is under key control, the first mentioned windings of said magnets will be included in the verifying circuit whose contact fingers 33 pass through holes of the selected hole combination deck.

K e11 mechanism For the verification of the hole combinations in any column of the upper or lower deck, verifier keys 43 (Figs. 1-3) are provided bearing a certain letter or numeral designation. In addition to said keys, there is also provided a no-perforation verification key 44. For the control of the carriage, there are provided a shift key 45 and a release key 46 which may be distinguished for instance by different colors. The key levers 33 of all keys are arranged upon a cross bar 41 (Fig. 3) and are held in their upper normal position by means of a stirrup still to be described,

as well as by means of springs, in a similar way 5 as shown in Fig. 4; in this position the key levers engage the upper edge of a key slot 85 provided in the casing 86. By means of spacer tubes arranged upon the bar 41 (but not shown in the drawings) the key levers are kept the proper distance from each other. The means which in addition to the aforesaid springs serve to hold all letter and number keys resiliently in their upper position, comprise a rigid stirrup frame including two cross bars 48 and 49 connected on their sides by yokes 50. The bar 49 is pivotally mounted in stands 51 and the yokes 50 tend to turn in counterclockwise direction due to springs 52 Wound around the bar 49, so that said bar keeps the key levers 53 resiliently in their upper position. The yokes 50 are also connected with each other by a cross bar 54 hearing in its middle portion a finger 55, adapted to cooperate with the contacts 55 and 51 which are insulatingly arranged from each other. If, therefore, any of E5 the letter or numeral keys is depressed, the stirmp 48, 49, 50, 54 will be pressed downwardly against the tension of springs 52, and finger 55 closes first contact 56, and, if the key reaches the lowermost position also, contact 51 will be closed,

39 thereby controlling shifting of the carriage. The base plate 58 upon which the casing 86 is mounted bears also the insulating block 59 having contact bars 55 running across the key levers to cooperate with contact fingers of said key levers in different 5 combinations as will still be described. A further contact bar 5i forms the common return line. as may be seen from Fig. 3 and the detailed view according to Fig. 9, each key lever is provided with an insulating bar 52 having a contact bar 63 inserted therein on the lower side. The bars 53 1 the key levers are provided with contact fingers id in difierent combinations. The bars of the key levers carry in addition to said fingers a contact finger 65, being therefore in conducting connection with said fingers 54. key lever, i. e. each letter key as well as each n" erai key has a finger while the fingers are only arranged according to the perforations of the hole combinational code as ustrated in Fig. Therefore the 6 numeral 1 y has oily in the extreme left position (Fig. 3) in the fourth position from the left a finger iii as may be clearly seen from the diagram in ll. the letter key E has only a finger ti lon the extreme right hand end (Figs. 3 and ill. The arrangement of said contact fingers and their agreement with the hole combinational code may also be clearly seen from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 11, so that a further explanation may be dispensed with. Provision in the distance and the timing has been made so that at first all fingers M and finger 55 of. the depressed key contact with the bars 59 and 68 respectively and that upon further depression of the key close the contact 55 and in the lowermost position of the key the contact 5! will be closed.

If the key is released, all parts return under the influence of the stirrup 48, B9, 50 to their home position and the flat spring contacts 56, 51 open 70 again. The keys 45 and 46 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4) for the control of the carriage independently of any verifying operation are both similarly constructed and therefore only one of them is shown in Fig. 4. These keys are provided with an off- 75 set portion 56 and are therefore not held in their upper position by the stirrup 48, 49, 50, but for this purpose a special spring is coordinated to each key. Upon depression of any of. said keys the aforesaid stirrup will therefore not be rocked and the contacts 56, 51 (Fig. 3) will remain open. However, for each of said keys 45, 46 there is a special contact 68 and 69 respectively coordinated, being closed by a projection Ill upon depression of the key. For the verification of a column in which no perforation should be pres- 10 cut, there is provided the no-perforation verification key 44 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5). This key rests upon the bar 48 and is therefore held in its upper position by the stirrup 48, 49, 50 in addition to its spring, so that upon actuation of the 15 key the contacts 56, 51 will be closed. For this no-perforation verification key there are, however, no contact fingers 64, 65 and the same controls only the aforesaid stirrup.

Verification mechanism The verification mechanism proper of the machine adapted to selectively cooperate with the upper or lower contact fingers 33, comprises six electro-magnets ll (Figs. 1 and 8) each having two individual windings through which, if energized, current flows in opposite directions, so that upon the simultaneous energization of both Windings no magnetic influence will be exercised. The one group of said magnets is mounted upon the right side of the front wall of the casing 85; on this wall is also fastened a frame l2, I3, l4 extending upwardly within said casing and carrying the. other group of magnets ll. Between both arms l3 and "M of the frame is an armature plate '15 pivotally mounted at it, the one half of said plate forming the common armature of the upper group of magnets and the other half forming the common armature of the lower group of magnets. The armature plate is normally drawn by the i0 spring ll against stops i8 fastened on the arms '13 and 4. The stirrup l2, l3, l4 carries about in its middle portion a projection l9 (Fig. ll) having insulatingly arranged thereon a flat spring contact 80. The one plate of said contact is connected by connection ill with the armature plate l5. If, therefore, any of the magnets ill or a plurality of said magnets are energized in such a way that the magnetic forces are not compensated but execute an influence upon the armature plate 15, 50 the latter will be rocked in clockwise direction (Fig. 8) and the contact fill controlling the card carriage feed, will be opened. For the selection of any of the analyzing sets for verification, the common set of verifier magnets is provided with a switch inserted within the current circuit as will still be explained in connection with Fig. 11. This switch comprises an insulating plate 82 fastened to the front wall of the casing 86. Upon said insulating plate is fastened an arcuate longitudinal insulating piece 83 having slots 84. On the upper and lower inner side of the piece 83 are provided respectively six contact springs ill and 88 which lead all to the outside and are fastened there by corresponding screws. These contact springs (Fig. 'l may therefore cooperate on the inner side of the insulating piece 33 with a contact lever still to be described, and at the same time they may be connected on the outside from the contact screws to the respective lines. 0n the inner side of the insulating piece 83 there are further provided six contact springs 89 in alignment with the contact springs 81 and 88 and arranged separately from the aforesaid springs 81 and 88 with their side lips guided throughslots 84 to be connected by means to of screws 90. Upon the shaft 9|, is an arm 92, pivotally mounted, having a handle 93 extending through the casing 86 (see also Figs. 1 and 2). The lever 92 carries six contact springs 94 in line with the contact springs 81 and 88. As may be seen from Figs. 6 and 7; all six contact springs 81 are connected with the contact springs 89 through the bridged contacts 94 if the lever is in the lower position as shown in Fig. 7. If, however, the lever is moved to the upper position, indicated in dotted lines, the contacts 81 are free and a connection will be established between the contacts 89 and 88. As may be seen from the drawings, the contact springs are slightly depressed in their middle portion, so that they may be resiliently moved and stay adjusted in their adjusted position. From the contact screws 90, connections are provided to the six magnets II while the upper contacts 81 are connected with the lower set of analyzing fingers 33 (Fig. 1) and the lower contacts 88 are connected with the upper set of analyzing fingers 33. If therefore the lever 93 is in the lower position (Figs. 2 and?) the lower six analyzing fingers 33 are in operative connection for verification of the lower hole combination deck while the upper analyzers are free; if the lever 93 is moved to its upper position, the lower analyzers are free and the upper ones are inoperative connection for verification.

C'z'rcuit diagram The electric wiring of the above described parts will now be described in connection with the diagram shown in Fig. 11. By means of the main switch the machine may be connected with the current source 95. The contact 69 controlled by the releasing key 46 and the releasing magnet 3| are then, through the resistance 96 in direct connection with the current source. From the resistance 96 a line 91 branches to the shift magnet 29, which line branches again, leading on the one hand over contact 68 controlled by the shift key 45, and line 98 back to the current source, and on the other hand over the normally closed contact 80, line 99, and over contact 51 (closed if finger 55 is depressed) back to the current source. The contact 80 is normally closed and will only be opened if one or a plurality of the magnets H become energized. From the upper side of the current source the line leads over card contact 34, 35, resistance I and the common line IOI to two branch lines I02 and I03. To the line I02, are connected one end of each of the analyzing windings of the controlling magnets I I, and the other ends of these windings lead to the contact fingers 89 of the switch, said fingers being coordinated to said windings. From the upper and lower set of analyzing fingers 33 corresponding lines lead to contacts 88 and 87, respectively, and in accordance with the position of switch 93 the analyzing windings of magnets II are connected either with the upper group of contact fingers or with the lower group of contact fingers 33, in each case leaving one set of the contact fingers free, to prevent the holes under said fingers from effecting any controlling operation. In Fig. 11 the switch is shown contrary to the illustration in the other figures as being shifted to the upper hole combinational deck since the operation of the machine will still be illustrated in verifying said deck. From the common bar 38 of the contact fingers 33 a line I04 leads to the common contact bar 6I of key 43, and from the line I04 9. line I branches to the contact 56 establishing the connection with the line I06 which leads back to the current source.

In Fig. 11 the keys are illustrated diagrammatically in such a manner that the key levers represent the metal bars 63 provided in accordance with the hole combinational code of Fig. 1 with fingers 64 coacting with the contact bars 60 in such a way that upon depression of any of the keys 43, the common bar 6I is connected with those selecting bars 60, on which the key levers 63 are provided with contact fingers 64. The contact bars 60 are connected on the right hand end by lines I01 with the one end of the key windings of magnets 'II and the other ends of the key windings are connected to the common line I03. If, therefore, any key is depressed, between the bar GI and the bars 60, connections will be established corresponding to the number and to the arrangement of the contact fingers 64. Simultaneously therewith, upon actuation of any key, the stirrup 48, 49, 50 will be rocked and contacts 56 and 51 will be closed by finger 55.

It will be seen, that the normally closed contact 80 controls the operation of the carriage shift magnet 29. Since, upon each actuation of a letter or numeral key or also upon actuation of the no-perforation verification key 44, the contact 51 will be closed, the magnet 29 may be energized, provided contact 80 is closed, and if magnet 29 becomes deenergized upon return of the depressed key the carriage is permitted to shift to the next column. As may be seen from the following explanation of the operation of the machine, this shifting occurs only if the actuated key and the perforation of the column to be veri fied are in complete agreement while upon any incorrectness the contact 80 will be opened by any of magnets II thereby preventing the ener gization of carriage shift magnet 29.

Operation of the machine The record card to be verified is inserted in the bed I3 (Fig. 1) of the machine, if the carriage is in its extreme left hand position, whereupon the carriage is moved by means of end piece I5 to the right, thereby positioning the first column of the record card under the analyzing fingers 33. If the card is inserted in the machine, the verifying mechanism will be connected with the current source due to the closure of card contact 34. 35, and this closure will be maintained as long as the card is inserted in the machine. If now the hole combinational field to be verified is to be selected, the switch lever 93 (Figs. 1 and 2) is moved to the upper or lower position. If moved to the upper position, the upper analyzing fingers 33 will be connected with the common set of controlling magnets and the lower analyzing fingers 33 are free while in the other case the lower set of analyzing fingers 33 will be connected with the controlling magnets and the upper analyzing fingers 33 are disconnected. If now the data of the first column of the upper hole combinational field are to be verified, the opera tor presses the corresponding verifier key 43; if therefore for instance in the first column the letter A shall have been punched, the A verifier key is to be depressed. However, already before actuation of the verifier key, due to the perforations in the first column (see perforating scheme according to Fig. 1) the analyzing fingers 33 in the IV- and V-position (Fig. 11) have passed through the corresponding holes of the card, thereby including the analyzing windings of the IV- and V-controlling magnets in the verifying circuit. As soon as the A key has been slightly moved downwardly, its correspondand V-position.

ing contact fingers 64 being provided in accordance with the perforation scheme if Fig. 1 on the IV- and V-position (Fig. 11), will establish an electrical connection with the IV- and V-contact bars 60. Thereby a connection will be established over the key windings of the IV- and V-magnets from line I03 to the bars 60 and over the.contact fingers 63 to the common contact bar 6|. Upon depression of the verifier key, the finger 55 will encounter the contacts 56 and 51 and will close the same after the contact fingers 64, 65 have been brought into contact with the corresponding bars 60, 6|. Simultaneously with closure of contact 56, the circuit for the inserted analyzing and key windings of the controlling magnets will be closed. If, therefore, the perforation of the card and the key actuation are actually in agreement, the analyzing windings and key windings of the selected magnets II will compensate each other so that no influence whatsoever is effected upon the armature plate 15. Upon closure of contact 56, consequently to the actuation of the A key, the following circuit (Fig. 11) will therefore be established: from the upper pole of the current source 95 over the card contact 34, 35, resistance I00, line IOI branching into the common lines I02 and I03. From the common line I02 flows upon verification of the hole combination A (compare perforation in Fig. 1) a current through the analyzing windings of the IV- and V-controlling magnets II and from there to the contacts 89 of the IV- F'rom these contacts current flows over shift contact 94 to the respective contacts 08 and from there to the contact fingers 33 of the IV- and V-position. Since said contact fingers pass through the holes of the card, the current flows through the common contact bar 30, line I 04, line I05, contact 56 now closed, and line I06 to the lower pole of the current source. Simultaneously therewith, current will also fiow from the common line IOI over line I03 through the key windings of the IV- and V-controlling magnets and through the corresponding lines I01 of the IV- and V-contact bars 60, from there over the contact bar 63 of the verifier key A and contact finger 65 to the common contact bar GI. whereupon this current will join in the common line I05 with the current coming through line I04 from the analyzing windings and will flow over contact 56 and line I06 to the lower pole of the current circuit. As will be seen, the ana lyzing windings as well as the key windings of the IV- and V-controlling magnets 'II will be energized simultaneously, so that the armature plate 15 being under the control of said magnets will remain in its home position. If therefore, upon reaching of the lowermost key position, the carriage shift contact 51 is closed, the shift magnet 29 may be energized from the upper pole of the current source 95 over resistance 96, line 91, magnet 29, contact 80 now closed, line 99, contact 51 and line I06 back to the lower pole of the current source. If thereafter the key returns to its home position after deenergization of the magnet 29 the carriage is permitted to shift, thereby manifesting that the hole combination is properly punched and that the verification of the next record column may be effected.

It will be clearly seen that the same operations will take place if ever a hole combination is in agreement with the actuated verifier key, andin all these cases the contact 80 remains closed and the carriage shift magnet 29 may be energized so that the carriage is permitted to feed the next record column under the analyzing fingers 33.

If, however, any of the incorrectnesses still to key windings or analyzing windings will become effective, so that consequently to the rocking of the armature plate 15 contact 00 will be opened. The magnets II will be energized by closure of contact 56 beingeffected prior to said energize.- tion and before the contact 51 is closed upon further depression of the key. In case that any magnet windings are not compensated, the armature plate 15 will be rocked and therefore the contact 80 is already opened before the contact 51 may be closed by the finger 55. Therefore the line 01, 99, I 06 of the carriage shift magnet 29 now being closed at contact 51, is open at the contact 80 so that the shift magnet 29 is prevented irom energization and the carriage is prevented from shifting, indicating by this fact to the operator the incorrectness of the perforation. In this case the release key of the machine is to be depressed so, that the carriage will feed the card to the extreme left hand position where the wrong card may be removed and replaced by a new one which is properly punched.

If the upper hole combination deck is completely verified and has been found correct, the carriage is again in its extreme left hand position; thereupon it may be moved again to the right hand position and switch 93 may be moved into its lower position so that now the various columns of the lower hole combination deck may be verified successively in the same way as previously the upper hole combination deck. The fact that there are hole combinations in the lower deck comprising less hole positions and comprising in part only a single hole, is of no influence upon the operation of the machine and the result of the verification, as may be clearly recognized from the foregoing specification and the drawings.

Now the operation of the machine will be described in connection with the various possibilities of incorrect perforation.

If the record column to be verified comprises more holes or holes in other positions than correspond to the actuated verifier key, the controlling magnets of those positions will be compensated in their magnetic influence on which the holes of the column to be verified and the contact fingers 64 (Fig. 11) of the actuated key are in agreement. However, the additional holes will energize the analyzing windings of the coordinated controlling magnets 'II and since said analyzing windings are not compensated, the armature plate 15 will be rocked and contact 80 will be opened, thereby preventing in the aforesaid manner shifting of the card carriage.

If, however, the reverse case occurs, i. e. if the hole combination to be verified comprises less holes than correspond to the actuated verifier key, the windings of the controlling magnets II controlled by holes and contact fingers 64 of identical hole positions will again be compensated; the verifier key comprising, however, in this case more contact fingers 64 than there are holes in the record column, the key windings coordinated to these contact fingers will cause openingof the carriage shift contact 80, thereby disabling shifting of the carriage.

If, therefore, a hole combination of a certain record column and the contact fingers N of an actuated verifier key are only in agreement in certain positions, the analyzing or key windings coordinated to the holes and contact fingers which are not in agreement will become energiaed individually and independently from each other and the carriage feed will be disabled in the above described manner.

If the holes in the column to be verified are provided in positions diii'erent from the arrangement of the contact fingers N of the actuated verifier kcy,,/the analyzing windings of the magnets II will be energized in those positions on which there are holes in the column, as well as the key windings of those magnets which are under the control of contact fingers N, and in this case a series of magnets II will be energized to open the contact '0 thereby disabling the carriage shift mechanism.

If in a record column in which .a certain perforation should be provided there is no hole at all, no analyzing windings of the magnets II will be energised; however, all key windings coordinated to the analyzing fingers 84 of the actuated verifier key will be energized and in this case the contact II will again be interrupted to indicate to the operator the present incorrectness of the absent perforation.

If in a record column to be verified no hole shall be provided, the no-perforation verification key 44 (Figs. 5, 1 and 11) will be depressed. As has been described this key 44 comprises no contact fingers cooperating with the bars I. or 6| respectively, so that upon actuation of said key, no analyzing windings of magnets Il may be energized. This no-perforation key acts however upon the stirrup 48, 49, 50, common to all keys, and closes thereby also the contacts 56 and 51. If now in the column to be verified and which should not have been punched, there is actually one or even a plurality of holes, the corresponding analyzi g windings of the magnets II will be energized, thereby again preventing the carriage feed by interrupting contact 80 before closure of contact 51 becomes eifective.

If it is desirable to shift the carriage for a certain number of columns step by step independently of any verification of the card, the shift key 45 (Figs; 1, 2 and 11) must be depressed, thereby closing the contact 68 and connecting the carriage shift magnet 29 directly to the current source. During this operation no influence may be effected upon the magnets II by the holes of the card since the contact 56 remains open due to the above described offset I. (Fig. 4) of the keys II and 46 which will not cause any rocking of the stirrup 48, II, II.

In case that the carriage shall be released from any of its positions and returned to its left hand home podtion, as is necessary if upon detection of any incorrectness in any column of the card the latter is to be removed from the machine, the release key 48 must be depressed. Thereby the releasing magnet Ii (Fig. 11) will be connected over the resistance 08 and the contact 00 controlled by the key 46 directly to the current source and therewith the carriage is released in the above described manner from the escapement 2| (Fig. 2) and is drawn to its left hand home position.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the machine illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

In a verifying machine for verifying combinational perforations in record card columns, a plurality of sensing elements, one for each index point pofltion of a record card column, a common contact member for said elements, a plurality of keys, one for each combinational arrangement of perforations in a card column, a plurality of fixed contact bars including a common bar extending across said keys, an electrical connection between said common bar and said common contact member, a plurality of difierentially wound magnets, onefor each index point position of a card column, circuit connections between said contact bars and a winding of each of said magnets, circuit connections between the other windings of said magnets and said sensing elements, electrically connected contact fingers carried by said keys and so arranged that upon operation of any key one of thefingers thereon will engage said common contact bar and one or more other fingers will engage others of said bars in accordance with the combinational character assigned to said key, a further contact closed by operation of any of said keys to complete a circuit tosaid common bar and common contact member whereby circuits will be completed to energize the windings of said magnets, and a circuit controlled by said magnets and arranged to be broken when one winding of any magnet is energized without accompanying energizatlon of its second winding.

MICHAEL MAUL. u 

